Tags

Excerpt: The Unreal Boyfriend by Miranda P. Charles

The Unreal Boyfriend - Captured by Love Book 9 (Stands Alone)

How can Derek be with the woman he loves when he has to stay with the one he doesn’t?

Derek McCarthy won’t rest until he proves that his cunning uncle was responsible for his father’s death. But due to their frosty relationship, the only way he could get into his uncle’s properties to search for the evidence that could expose his uncle’s crimes is to keep pretending that he and the daughter of his uncle’s business partner are in love. But his feelings for his friend Bernadette Luna keep getting stronger, so when an arrangement with his girlfriend-in-name-only enables him to date Bernadette, he grabs it with both hands. Unfortunately, he is soon faced with a heart-breaking choice: risk his uncle discovering his ruse and destroying the evidence, or risk losing Bernadette forever.

Should Bernadette follow her heart or listen to her head?

Bernadette Luna has been secretly in love with Derek McCarthy for ages. When Derek finally shows his attraction to her, she is ecstatic. He is truly the man of her dreams. So when she discovers that Derek might be keeping secrets from her, she has to make a decision: follow her heart or listen to her head. Problem is, her heart has misled her many times before, especially when it comes to Derek.

A waiter came to offer them water, and Bernadette busied herself with the menu. Not that the menu was more interesting than Derek. It was just that he’d shocked her so much that she was still trying to get her equilibrium back. Frankly, after a year and a half of dreaming about him, she simply couldn’t believe he wanted to go out with her. For real.

So she blabbed on about the food, asking for Derek’s recommendations. Soon, they finalised their orders and Bernadette found herself speechless again. Did Derek really mean what he’d said in the elevator? What if she’d misheard him? Or what if he was merely trying to ascertain her feelings for him?

He hadn’t exactly asked her out. Instead, he’d wanted to know if she wanted to date him for real. Just because he’d asked the question didn’t mean he felt the same way as she did.

Her mood dropped. How many times had she thought Derek was finally being interested in her, only to find out she’d made the wrong assumption?

More than she cared to remember, for sure.

“Bern,” Derek said softly.

She met his gaze.

“You haven’t answered my question.”

“I guess I don’t see the relevance of it when we’ve only agreed on a pretence.”

Derek’s forehead creased. “Are you saying you don’t want to date me?”

Wait. Was that disappointment in his voice?

“Look, Bern, just give me a chance. I know I haven’t wooed you properly, and I’m sorry if I’ve acted asshole-ish. I’ll try very, very hard not to be like that again. But, please, let me—”

Bernadette couldn’t help the relieved, happy laughter that bubbled out of her. She wasn’t imagining it this time! Derek really wanted to go out with her!

“What?” Derek asked, confused.

“Asshole-ish?”

Derek’s lips curved. “Well, looking back, I really was that, wasn’t I? Getting you to pretend with me…” He shook his head remorsefully.

She smiled. “I suppose that was kind of asshole-ish.”

“I’m sorry,” Derek said contritely.

“It wasn’t really your fault. I encouraged you to go ahead with the plan, remember?”

“Yes.”

She nodded and took a sip of her water, gazing out the window again.

“And?” he said after a long moment.

“So you’re saying you want us to date for real.” She still couldn’t believe it.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Derek frowned questioningly. “Because I’m attracted to you?”

Yay! “You don’t sound so sure,” she teased, buoyed by happiness.

Derek let out a chuckle and reached for her hand. “Bernadette Luna, I am most definitely, one hundred percent attracted to you. Will you date me? For real?”

She bit her lip to stop a wide grin from forming, even as her eyes misted a bit. “Yes, Derek. I’ll date you. For real.”

Derek let out a relieved sigh, taking her hand to his lips to kiss it.

She prefers to spend her time in front of her laptop, putting into words the love stories that play in her head. Don't get her started with reading a great book, though, because she has the tendency to not put it down until she gets to the last page.

She does have a life outside of books. Mostly, that consists of bonding with family and friends or going on romantic trips with her awesome husband. Oh, yeah, there's also the housework. But she really wishes someone else could do that for her so she could get back to her books!

She lives in the beautiful city of Sydney, Australia.

Comments

Disclosure: Night Owl Romance is an affiliate, ad and PR friendly website. Advertisers and affiliates never influence our thoughts on the products. The views and opinions on Night Owl Romance are alwasy our own. Most books and some items that Night Owl Romance reviews are received courtesy of the producer / author / publisher. We use affiliate links on this site and get a commison when you purchase through those links.